Lecture Notes on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (Pitāputrasamāgamanasūtra) (132)

The faculties are like illusions, and the sense objects are like dreams. To engage in contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) of these dharmas requires relatively deep meditative concentration. Amid various states, in the contact of the six faculties with the six sense objects, one must realize the illusory, unreal, unsubmissive, and selfless nature of faculties and objects. Meditative concentration and wisdom must be combined and completely fused together. Contemplate carefully: when the eye sees form, how the eye faculty lacks self-mastery (avaśatā), how the form sense object is illusory, like a shadow; when the ear hears sounds, how the state of sound is like a dream, how the ear faculty is like a conjured illusion, how it arises and how it ceases, how it performs the function of hearing. When contemplative practice is accomplished, one can realize that the five aggregates (pañcaskandha) are empty and illusory, tranquil and non-arising.

An initial intellectual understanding of the contemplative practice of these dharmas does not amount to realization. Understanding is relatively easier—the mind consciousness deliberates for a while and feels it has understood—but this is not realization. Realization requires meditative concentration, profound deliberation (manana), conclusive evidence, and penetration to the manas deep within the mind. Only when the manas gives its assent can it be called the realization of fruit. What the sixth consciousness (manovijñāna) understands belongs merely to knowledge; without evidence, or with insufficient evidence, it is not realization. Only through deep and subtle contemplative practice, when the manas genuinely assents to that principle in the depths of the mind, can it be called the realization of fruit.

At that time, because one has genuinely realized and assented to the fact that the five aggregates are without self and the six faculties are illusory, the mental formations will change, and one's view of all things will transform. When one truly believes oneself to be illusory, the mind will certainly undergo change—it cannot remain the same as before, still the same old way. But when it is merely the mind consciousness's understanding, without realization, the mind does not know that the five aggregates are truly without self; the cognition of self will not change, and the view of the five aggregates remains only theoretical. The mental formations remain as they always were, the afflictions remain as heavy as before. If the three fetters cannot be eliminated, the three evil destinies cannot be avoided.

This is the same as the worldly principle that "seeing is believing, while hearing is unreliable." What is heard from others is equivalent to the mind consciousness's understanding—it has not been verified, so one still feels uncertain inside and dares not take it seriously. Afterwards, when one sees with one's own eyes, one truly knows, and will say: Ah! So that's how it is! Only then does one know how to handle people and affairs. Seeing with the eyes is equivalent to the manas's realization; hearing with the ears is equivalent to the mind consciousness's understanding—these are two entirely different levels. The mind consciousness's understanding is heard from others, while the manas's realization is seeing with one's own eyes; it is direct perception/valid direct cognition, truly seeing.